Christmas Party
by StoryCurrentlyUntitled
Summary: The whole gang gather at Sakura's house for a Christmas Party. Syaoran is nervous about having to give his gift to her and ends up hurting her feelings. What does he do now? Two-shot. Please R&R, no flames. constructive criticism welcome!
1. Chapter 1

It is again that time of the year. Christmas is coming around and that means all of the good food you can handle, all of the annoying relatives that you have to deal with, all of the presents you have to buy and all of the Chrismas parties that must be attended. The Christmas party for the year, a new tradition that had been started ever since the complications with the cards had ended. And everyone got together for these things too.

There are the people you'd expect to be present, you know, Sakura and her father and brother, because they are the hosts. But, this year had the largest turn out of all. Chiharu, Naoko, Yamazaki and Rika had all come from school. And had brought thier parents and if present, siblings, with them. Meling had flown in from China for this occasion. Mizuki-sensei, Eriol, Akizuki and Suppie all arrived on time from England even though there had been weather delays with some of the flights leaving that airport.

Then, as faithful as ever, Keroberos, Yukito and Sakura's best friend Tomoyo and her mother have come as well.

Of course, Yukito and Sakura's brother Touya sit in a couple of chairs, chatting away happily. Keroberos and Suppie are playing a videogame on the floor by the tree and arguing about who is going to beat who in the end. They have taken all the snacks so now Sakura is back in the kitchen with Tomoyo and Rika, preparing more.

Meling and Naoko are discussing Twilight, the new movie that had come out back before the holidays and how it had just been so wonderful. Yamazaki is currently being strangled in his usual regard by his girlfriend Chiharu, who had gotten angry when he had tried to lie to Meling and Naoko about how the story came to be.

Eriol and Mizuki are having a very pleasant conversation about the goings on back in England. Mizuki laughs in that childish way and the raven-haired boy beside her smiles. They seem so happy. The same goes for Sakura's dad and Tomoyo's mom. While the man is taking picture after picture with his little disposable camera, the woman is growing more and more angry. She's been recording this straight from the beginning with her ever-present camera crew. Both Tomoyo and her mother are obsessed with getting footage from everywhere.

Syaoran sighs, looking at the floor. Just at that moment, Sakura comes back into the room, clad in a tank top and a ruffle skirt with an apron thrown over it while preparing the food. A blush grace's both Syaoran's and her face when every head in the room turns in her direction. She smiles, a mix of agitation, embarrassment and happiness.

"Gomen-nasai! Hai, ageru!" She stammers, being careful of her footing. Her hair gently bounds along with her movements, her skirt hitting lightly against her legs. She brings treats around to everyone in the room, Tomoyo following her around the entire length with the camcorder, recording her every move. This will most likely go into her all ready very extensive collection of videos of the girl.

Syaoran's face goes blank, partly feeling bad for Sakura and partly wondering if Tomoyo had some sort of disorder that made her this excited when she got to use her camera. But then, he has to concur with Tomoyo's need to film Sakura. What's not to like about Sakura? She's smart and beautiful and kind…

"Syaoran-kun?" The said girl's voice breaks through his thoughts. He looks up, only to be met with those striking emeralds that most would call eyes, no more than three inches in front of him. Her hair is brushing against his face, the trey of food right below his jaw.

Feeling the heat rush into his face, he backs away from the girl slightly, sinking into the chair timidly. She smiles and leans in a little more, her face flushing red as well. She bites down on her lip. Syaoran swallows. She looks so right. This is how she should always look.

"Hai?" He questions back, trying to shake off the blush.

"Here, have a snack!"

He looks around the room to see no one looking at him save for Sakura's brother, who is staring over Yukito's shoulder and making a fist at him. Syaoran scowls back and then, ignoring him again, looks back into Sakura's very-close-to-him eyes with a gentle and shy smile. "I'd love one," He tells her. "I'd love to eat something you made."

Her face turns so red that he can't help but to chuckle a little. Tomoyo laughs in that high-pitched laugh that couldn't be anyone else's as she continues to capture the whole scene on film.

Syaoran and Sakura both turn to her at the same time, Syaoran gritting his teeth when he realizes that now everyone in the room _is_ looking at the two of them and Sakura just looking exasperated. "Ne, Tomoyo-Chan, do you ever put that thing away?"

Tomoyo clicks the pause button on the side and moves the camera away from her face, laughing again in that same yet now extremely annoying way. "Why would I do that? You just look so cute that it's making me dizzy!"

Syaoran shakes his head as the other people in the room begin laughing and Sakura lowers her face toward the floor, embarrassed and annoyed. Tomoyo only smiles, turning to Syaoran, who's redder than a tomato at this point.

The night goes on, playing games like bobbing for apples and pin the tail on the donkey. They spin Sakura right now and she finally stumbles forward from her place, making her way in a completely wrong direction. Letting a small laugh escape his lips, he watches the girl, content.

I ask anyone who reads this to check out my stories for Shugo Chara! Also, if you do read one of them, leave a review! Please and thank you Here are the stories:

_**"Lonely No More"**_ - This is a story of Amu and Ikuto from "Shugo Chara!" over 14 years into the future from where the story leaves off. (Also, in this story I figure them to be a little closer to the same age. If she's 24 in the story, that puts him at 29. Just was the feeling I got while writing it.) Ikuto is finally back after traveling the world in search of his father and Amu is in college now. When she wakes up in the middle of the night, she finds Ikuto laying beside her and they get to talking. He finds out that she's been quite lonely after all of her friends from school began to move on and she learns about what happened on his long search for his father. It's hurt/comfort/romance and strictly AMUTO. Anyone who wants to see a more mature Amu teasing Ikuto a little will like this. It's still in progress, so read, enjoy and always, always, ALWAYS _**REVIEW!**_

_**"Ikuto Tsukiyomi's 100 Good Deeds"**_ - This story is a crossover with a show from the 90's, "100 Good Deeds for Eddie Mcdowd." Basically- like in the aforementioned show -Ikuto likes to pick on girls and is turned into a cat who must perform one hundred acts of kindness toward any girl of his choice to return to being human. When he is found on the street, he is taken to a pet shop and gives up all hope of ever being human again since he's been forced to live as a cat for several months. After a chance encounter, he ends up living with Amu Hinamori, a girl from his school that he's interested in and chaos ensues! Now Ikuto has to not only deal with how to perform his 100 good deeds and return to being human, but he must also face his affection for Amu. Plenty of sweet moments and hilarious incidents make this story a humor/romance.


	2. Chapter 2

Christmas Party

Chapter two

Syaoran can only make it part of the way through the three course meal that is brought out for them to eat before he feels as if he's going to explode. So, politely excusing himself to the bathroom, he slips out of the room and heads to the said room to wash his face and ready himself for the later gift exchange. This is the same freaking gift exchange that he'd spent the last two weeks telling himself was no big deal and that he shouldn't worry too much about it because everyone would be giving each other gifts. But the whole thing has been driving him batty anyhow.

He splashes the water up over his face now and then dries off with a towel before looking into the mirror as if his reflection will have the answer he needs. For crying out loud he is only ten years old and just getting her a present was hard enough to do. It seems funny that he had been relieved when he found the right thing for her now only because now he's concerned about giving it to her. Giving her compliments only to have her turn and tell him a simple, "Thank you," in reply is hard enough for him to handle, now he has to attempt giving her something. A gift wrought with thought and careful choosing, allowing everyone else in the room to see the feelings he has for her. Not that he's been doing such an excellent job of hiding it up until this point but, well that doesn't mean it's not embarrassing to have everyone watching as someone opens a gift from you and they can all see that you took your time to really think about that person, which meant that you really had feelings for that person.

But, at the same time, Syaoran does want Sakura to know that he had taken the time to think about her over the holidays this year. Now, he had taken the same amount of care to find gifts to give to the others as well, because they are all his friends too, but Sakura is different. She means more to him than just about anyone in the whole world. Everything about her is special to him, from the fact that she has to be the most dense person in the world to her charming smile to her beautiful eyes and just about any of the other one hundred things he could say he loves about her.

It took a while to accept that this was how he felt, considering that they'd been rivals since he first came to this country in search of the Clow Cards he believed were rightfully his. But, knowing what he knows now and feeling the way he feels, those things are no longer important. Having those cards had made her happy and, in the end, it had come to make him happy to see her happy. It didn't matter that they _had_- operative word here- _had_ been rivals in the beginning. He was her friend _now_. That is now what matters to him.

Syaoran looks down at the floor briefly before staring determinedly at his own reflection. _Somehow, I'll make this work._What a thing to promise. He had no idea what he was going to do, how he was going to do it or when. He just knew that somehow he had to give this gift to her, even if, in the end it killed him.

With a confused sigh he turns and exits the room, running full into someone on his way out. He looks down into the pretty green emeralds and tries his best to remain the cool, collected Syaoran that she believes he is. However, at the moment, he is nothing more than a cowardly collection of nerves looking down at Sakura, who is huddled into his chest. She giggles nervously and backs away, shifting from foot to foot anxiously. All nervous feelings disappear and he can't help a laugh at the desperate look on her face as he steps to one side, allowing her to shove her way into the bathroom. "Too much punch!" She tries to rationalize, smiling and then shutting the door quickly.

Lowering his head, he grins to himself. She could do anything, _anything_ in the world and he would be able to laugh at it or think it's cute in some way. Here she is, going to the bathroom and he can't help a smile at _that_. When did it come about that he was someone who liked the way someone looked before going to the bathroom? Shaking his head at himself, he turns and goes back to the party, setting his present under the tree along with all of the others. Presents from everyone and presents to everyone. No one had been left out.

He swallows and then sinks into a chair as the others continue what's left of their meals in the kitchen. _I really hope I can do this._ _Since when am I such a chicken? Oh yeah, ever since I found out it was her I liked..._Now the aforementioned girl walks by the room, stopping and looking in when she sees Syaoran sitting there in the chair all by him lonesome. She takes one step further and clears her throat. Syaoran's head jolts up, his eyes wide.

"Syaoran-kun? Why are you all alone? Aren't you hungry?" He gives a small smile, trying to reassure her that everything is all right. "I was done eating." She nods, looking down at the floor and he knows exactly what to say. When he arrived Yukito had told him that Sakura had done most of the cooking and to be sure to let her know how it was. A sly grin passes over his face and he leans forward in his chair now, his arms falling over his knees. "I heard that you cooked most of it tonight. Very delicious," Her head shoots up, the looks on her face consisting mostly of surprise. He stands, making his way over to her. When they aren't more than a foot apart he gives another soft smile and then finishes. "I really thought it was great."

Sakura's face is about the color of a tomato when he walks around to her side, heading back in toward the kitchen. _He thought it was good? _Excitement fills the young girl's face. _He thought it was good!_

Later, the large throng of friends and family get together to exchange the gifts. The group of girls sit, discussing what they think they will be getting, Touya and Yukito sit in the two nearest chairs, watching and waiting their turns, all of the parents want to take pictures and sort out all of the presents to their respectful recipients, Akizuki, Eriol and Mizuki all sit on the couch and also watch, all the while, Kero and Suppie still bickering over which one of them had won the video game. Syaoran sits in the most remote corner that he can find that's closest to his present. If someone is going to hand it to her, or not, it will be him, not one of the others.

Everyone receives and opens their presents, all wonderful and just to that person's liking. Sakura seems unfazed at the moment, still discussing all of the things that she had gotten with the gift givers and thanking them. Syaoran had done this as well, and had noticed that she didn't seem upset with him for never handing her the present. In the end, he had been too cowardly. Again. He sighs and turns to Rika with a smile, thanking her for the new green and white winter hoodie that she had gotten for him.

After the gifts they all play more games, more of a Japanese style tradition that Syaoran can't quite follow. He doesn't join in though for another reason. Someone is absent from the room, someone very important. Where could Sakura be? Now, it is very likely that she is again hold up in the bathroom from having had too much punch, but something is telling Syaoran that isn't the answer. So, as inquisitive as ever, he goes in search of the girl. Not in the kitchen. Not in the back yard. Not in the bathroom. Not in the basement. The list of places she isn't is rapidly growing whereas the list of places she is has remained unchanged. Where in the world is she?

There is one place that he hasn't dared to venture to in this quest to find her yet. He swallows. Her bedroom. Her father and older brother wouldn't like him going there. But, if something were wrong with her and there was something he could do, Syaoran would have to at least see if that's where she was going to be. Slowly he goes upstairs and approaches her door, knocking softly. He takes a shaky step back and waits. One minute passes. Now another. And, after what seems like eternity, the sound of footsteps on her floor is heard as she approaches the door. He bites on his lip heavily when the door opens. There are tears in the corners of her eyes, no need to say then, that it suggests she has been crying. Her hair is only a little messy, probably due to the fact that she had at least tried to fix it up before answering the door. Her mouth curves up a bit, a fake smile. She's trying to hide the fact that she's upset. _Well, it's a little late for that now..._Syaoran thinks, taking a step closer. He notices the door swing in more tightly against her side and glances at her, knowing that she's not at all shy about inviting him into her room. He had been inside before, and had given her a cupcake that he had made in Home Economics- with equal to this moment awkwardness.

"What are you..." Sakura breaks off, wiping at her eyes and gathering her waving voice back up into a very fake sounding happy tone. "What are you doing, Syaoran-kun?" He takes another step, his eyes sad but a small smile playing on his lips. "Wondering..." He reaches out, saddened to find that she seems tense about it and places a hand on her shoulder. "Wondering why you're so upset." There is another nervous pause. Syaoran, feeling awkward with getting no response, pulls away again. "What _is_ the matter?"

She just shakes her head at the boy and tries to play off the moment. She moves out, making him step back and closes the door behind herself. "It's nothing. I got some dust in my eyes when I was in my closet looking for something." While it would be a convincing argument for anyone else, he can see right through that. And he knows that she can tell he's not buying it. Shaking her head, she wipes her eyes a bit and tries to move around Syaoran, who knows that it's now or never. He can't let her leave, not when she's hurting. Being more bold than he has in all his life he leans into her door, placing a hand by each side of her, closing her between the door and himself.

"Don't go..." He states quietly. It was meant to be a command but comes out as more of a question, like he is pleading with her. Her eyes catch his, stunned, not only at the fact that he has her pinned against the wall but also because of the tone he had taken with her. "Syaoran-kun?" He moves in a little, his eyes softening some. "You're not leaving until you tell me what's wrong..." Realizing that he may have come on a little strong, Syaoran now backs off some, leaving only one hand on the door beside her. "I mean..." He clears his throat, stumbling at the finish line and lowering his head. "I mean...please, please just tell me." Sakura, a little flustered now, backs up and opens her door, nodding at him. "Okay," She rubs her forehead, stepping aside. He moves in and they sit on the floor together.

Silence ensues for a while before either one of them has the courage to say anything again. "So," Sakura breaks the silence, sounding strangely confidant of herself. It only serves to make Syaoran more self-conscious. What could she be about say? "You wanted to talk, um...say something..." He lifts his head up to meet her eyes with his own, instead of staring at the floor. "Were you..." He knows he's going to sound rather forceful again, but it must be said, or asked, rather. "Tell me the truth. Have you been crying?" Averting her sight for a moment, she merely gives a nod and then turns her head away from him all together, clearly upset.

He swallows down the urge to tell her everything will be all right just as a thought strikes him. What if she had been crying because of him? His eyes dart to her face, carefully trying to study her features as she looks away from him. His mouth falls open. "Sakura," He croaks, not realizing it when his throat suddenly has gone dry. "Look at me." It is very soft and it does get her attention. Their eyes meet timidly, both of them biting on their lip, nervous. "You were crying because of me?" Her mouth falls open a bit and she lowers her head for just a few seconds, only looking at him when she begins to speak.

"I just thought..." Her voice breaks, just about stabbing Syaoran in the heart. He feels his stomach tie in guilty knots as he watches her try to explain. "I thought that we were very good friends now and so I got you a gift," He nods with her, not wanting to touch her until she is finished speaking. "But thinking now how you must be angry with me for expecting you to get me something...I'm sorry, I was selfish,"

His jaw just about unhinged, he shifts toward her slightly, now reaching out and placing a hand over hers. Her gaze resumes a connection with his. Sakura believes that she has made him mad for whatever ridiculous reason she could have. He must set it right. This is all his fault for not just gathering his courage and giving her the stupid gift. "Sakura," He begins, feeling low. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to feel that way. You haven't done a thing wrong. It was my fault." Her face grows confused and she moves some hair out of her face. "I actually..." He pulls out his gift to her from his pocket and thrusts it into her hands, blushing a little. She stares at the little oblong box in shock for a moment until she realizes what has transpired. "Syaoran-kun!" She whispers excitedly as she looks up at him and he just gives a little shrug of his shoulders.

"Open it. It's for you after all." She carefully pulls the paper off to reveal a fine jewelry box, small, gray and velvety. She glances up at him again, her eyes wide and questioning. He smiles at her and points at the box. "Finish. You're not done yet. The box isn't your present." She smirks at him and then pulls up on the top of the box to reveal a beautiful diamond necklace. A simple yet elegant diamond pedant fixed on a silver chain. Sakura gently runs her hand over the thin chain. She knows that it'd be very rude to ask if it was expensive so she simply looks up from it and at the boy before her and smiles. "Oh, Syaoran-kun, it's gorgeous! I'm very grateful."

He nods at this, pleased that she has begun to cheer up some. "I'm still sorry for making you sad. But I really did like your gift to me. I'm grateful too." He watches, very pleased with himself as she turns a little red in the face. "I'm glad, I tried so hard to find that sword cleaning kit. So many people were buying those! I had to trample people to get that." He chuckles and leans his forehead onto hers. "You'd trample people for me? Somehow, I just don't see you _trampling _anyone." She laughs. "Believe it. I got squished a few times myself!" With a crooked grin Syaoran replies. "Well thanks much for your trampling and getting squished because I really like it." She nods, an amused smile crossing her face before it turns thoughtful. "I really like my gift too," He, for the first time that night, is not nervous or frightened. "I'm glad."

She gives him a gentle kiss on the cheek before taking him by the hand and dragging him back down to the party, just in time to dance.


End file.
